Test rider Augusto Fernandez set to wild-card with new engine, but the real verdict will come on Monday
Yamaha has confirmed that its long-awaited V4 MotoGP prototype will make its race debut at next month’s San Marino Grand Prix at Misano, with test rider Augusto Fernandez to appear as a wild-card on September 12-14. Yamaha Racing Managing Director Paolo Pavesio outlined the plan during a debrief of the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, with Misano arriving earlier than many expected after Motegi had initially been tipped as the likely venue.
“Finally, I have some important news to share. For Misano, we are targeting to see Augusto Fernandez racing for the very first time our new M1 prototype with a V4 engine. This is a concrete sign of our commitment to the future. While we continue to push with determination to get the best out of every race weekend. Thanks to everyone for continuing to support us and we are looking forward to seeing you [next time] in Barcelona.”
Fabio Quartararo will get his first taste of the V4 during the traditional Monday post-race test at Misano. No lap times have been released from Yamaha’s private outings with the machine, and the factory maintains the new configuration will only replace the current Inline four in 2026 if it proves fast enough.
Quartararo has set his own benchmark for a green light, arguing the V4 only needs to run close to his existing M1 to justify the switch at this stage of development. “I think that if I try it and I’m less than half a second off my lap time, I think it’s a good step,” the Frenchman said during the Hungarian MotoGP weekend. “Because it will be the first time that I will use it.” Fabio Quartararo, 2025 Hungarian MotoGP
The Misano test follows directly after the San Marino round, where Fernandez will give the V4 its public race bow. Speaking before that wild-card was confirmed, Quartararo did not rule out throwing a leg over the prototype in competition later this year, an option opened by Yamaha’s D concession status. “It depends how good our [V4] bike is, but for me we need a change and also it would be an idea for us to see where the bike is,” he said.
The 2021 world champion admitted he was surprised not to have already been handed a first run on the new engine layout. Hinting at an earlier delay, he added: “My feeling was we had to test it before, but I’m not the one who chooses.”
While Yamaha believes the V4 can unlock gains in areas such as braking, Quartararo stressed that raw engine performance remains critical in modern MotoGP. “To be honest, for me it’s one of the most important,” he said. “You see how tough it is to overtake now in MotoGP, if you don’t have the engine to prepare an overtake, you are not able to do it. Even if the bike is fast, I need a bike that is able to fight during a race. If I don’t have the top power, it will not be a fighting bike.”
Outright power figures remain under wraps, and even Yamaha’s own test programme has been conducted with headroom to spare. “The engine is not at its full potential. They don’t give us all the power yet,” Fernandez said.
Quartararo has extracted plenty from what appears to be the final evolution of the Inline M1 this season, with four poles and a podium helping him to tenth in the standings. Should Yamaha elect to race the 1000cc V4 in 2026, it would run for only a single season before the rules shift to 850cc for 2027, adding urgency to the decision now building toward Misano.
